Cholera and John Snow Flashcards
what microbe causes cholera?
vibrio cholerae; a gram negatiive curved rod
what does vibrio cholerae do to fuck you up
secretes a toxin that alters the sodium pump in intestinal cells and causes fluid loss
how do people usually get cholera?
a contaminated water source
other than contaminated water, what are 4 sources of vibrio cholerae?
- surface biofilms
- cyanobacteria
- copepods
- chironomid egg masses
where did cholera emerge from?
the Ganges
what is the tranmsission route of cholera?
fecal-oral
upon entry, what does vibrio cholerae do?
colonizes the small intestine
what are 5 symptoms of cholera?
- nausea
- cramps
- diarrhea
- muscle cramps
- shock
describe treatment of cholera
easy if you catch it soon enough; IV saline based fluids
when and where was the first pandemic of cholera?
emerged in Bengal region of India in 1817
how does a cholera epidemic end?
the pathogen burns itself out by ripping through the population; sometimes the water can can cool too much to support bacterial propogation
why was the cholera epidemic in the 1830s so bad?
there was no public health infrastructure, no coast guard to keep cases out, just bad
be ready to describe the John Snow relation to cholera, with the pump and such
go look at notes and summarize out loud RIGHT NOW!!
